Pneumatic coal conveyer



Patented July 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' 2,683,063 PNEUMATIC COAL CONVEYER Joseph A. Malachick, New York, N. Y. Application July 19, 1951, Serial No. 237,617

Claims. (Cl. 30217) provements in a pneumatic conveyor for material in a finely divided form- More specifically, the present invention proposes the construction of a pneumatic conveyor designed to expedite the handling of coal of small sizes, such as buckwheat and pea, by conveying the coal from a delivery trucklooated outside of a building through a cellar window and permit its convenient discharge evenly throughout the usual coal bin without having the coal stack itself directly in front of the window.

Another object of the present invention proposes constructing the conveyor as a mobile unit so that it can be positioned at a suitable location to have the coal spilled into its hopper to be led by the conveyor to a flexible discharge tube which can be manually held at its free endforguiding the discharge of the coal into the desired locations within the coal bin.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the pneumatic conveyor to have an upright housing within which there is mounted a tubular entrance block upon which the hopper is mounted in a manner to receive the coal from the delivery truck.

, The present invention further proposes mounting a discharge block within the housing from which the flexible discharge tube is extended and which is connected with the entrance block by a tube and through which the coal is to pass from the entrance block to the discharge block.

A further object of the present invention proposes mounting the housing pivotally upon a wheeled platform in a manner so that the housing can be pivoted to an upright operative position with its hopper uppermost to receive the coal or so that the housing can be lowered to an inoperative position on the platform reducing the size thereof to be conveniently carried when not in use on the coal delivery truck.

Still another object of the present invention proposes the provision of means whereby either the entrance block, the discharge block or both can be connected to a source of air under pressure carried on the coal delivery truck for supplying compressed air into those blocks in a manner to force the material through the conveyor to discharge from the flexible discharge tube.

While the pneumatic conveyor of the present invention is intended chiefly for the handling of coal in small sizes, it is appreciated that the same can be used for handling other ,finely divided materials, such as sand, crushed stone,

2 gravel, grains-oat, wheat, barleyand the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to construct a pneumatic conveyor for material in a finely divided form which is simple and durable, which is efiicient for its intended purpose and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, ref erence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the pneumatic conveyor of the present invention as it appears when in use for conveying coal from a delivery truck to a coal bin in the cellar of a building.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the conveyor looking from the right side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view looking in the direction of the line 3-3 on Fig. 2, but with parts thereof broken away to reveal interior construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the top portion of Fig. 2 with the parts shown in vertical section and separated from one another.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the bottom portion of Fig. 2 with the parts shown in vertical section and separated from one another.

The pneumatic conveyor for material in a finely divided form, according to the present invention, includes a platform H) of wood or other material and which is provided on its bottom with four wheels ll. of the swivel type sothat the platform I!) can have freedom of movement in all directions.

Arranged above the platform is, there is a housing l2 which has one side open. The housing' [2 is made of wood, metal or the like and is shorter than the platform it by a distance equal to the thickness of the housing. Extending upward from the platform ID, there is a laterally spaced pair of lugs M which are extended into complementary V-shaped cutouts I5, see par ticularly Fig; 3, formed in the adjacent corner of the housing l2. Pins [5 are extended through the material of the housing !2 and the lugs M pivotally support the housing [2 on the platform iii. The pivotal mounting permits the housing ii! to be extended operatively upward from the platform as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and by the full lines in Fig. 3. In that operative posi- The wheels II are preferably 0 tion, the lower end of the housing rests on the top face of the platform H3 at the end thereof.

One pair of wheels i I is located directly below the housing 52 in its operative upwardly extended position for retaining the entire device from tip ping over. The housing I2 is retained in its operative upward extended position by a brace i! which is pivoted at one end to one side wall of the housing l2 by means of a pin it. The free end of the brace ll is engageable into a notch [9 in the top face of the platform It.

When the brace i7 is disengaged from the notch 19, the housin 52 can be pivoted about the pins iii to a position lowered onto the platform ill, indicated by the dot and dash lines 12 in Fig. 3. In that position, the open side of the housing 52 is closed by the top face of the platform iii and the operative size of the conveyor is reduced to be conveniently carried on the coal delivery truck. The end of the housing !2 which is pivotally supported is rounded concentric with the pins it, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, to permit pivotal movement of the housing i2 between its operative and inoperative po sitions. its pivoted end, is provided with a cutout as, see Figs. 2 and 4, to provide clearance from the free end of the brace 51 in the lowered inoperative position of the housing.

Fixedly mounted within the housing !2 ad jacent its free end, there is a tubular entrance block 2!. The block 21 is made of metal, wood or the like and has a passageway 22 extended therethrough parallel to the length of the hous il'lg 2 to be vertically extended when the hous ing is in its raised operative position. Connected to the top end of the entrance block ii, there is a hopper as which has an open top to receive the finely divided material such as coal. The bottom of the hopper '23 is closed by a wall 2-: secured to the hopper 23 by several screws 25, see Fig. 4. The bottom wail 24 has a hole 26 of the same diameter as the passageway 22 of the entrance block 21. Secured to the bottom face of the bottom wall 24, concentric with the hole 26, there -:i

is a connector block 2'! which is retained in po sition by several bolts 28. The connector block 21 carries a connector tube 29 of metal which depends below the bottom face of the connector block El and into an enlarged portion 22 formed ii:

at the top end of the passageway 22. At its top end, the connector tube 29 has an outwardly extended flange 29 which is clamped in position between the adjacent faces of the bottom wall 24 and the connector block 21. The connector block 21 is connected to the top end of the tubular entrance blocl; by the usual luggage-type fastener 36, see Fig. 2, which has one-half secured to the outer face of the connector block and the other half secured to the outer face of the entrance block 2 i.

The hopper 23 is of a height so that when the connector block 2? is mounted in position on the top of the tubular entrance block 2 i, the top open The end of the housing 52, remote from end of the hopper will be flush with the outer .7

4 the bottom end or" the passageway 22 by pins 33 extended in from diametrically opposite sides of the tubular entrance block 2 i.

The connector tubes and 32 have an internal diameter corresponding to the diameter of the passageway 22 of the entrance block 2! so that the material will have free passage through the passageway 22.

Secured in position within the housing !2 beneath the tubular entrance block 25, there is a tubular discharge block 3d constructed of the same material as the entrance block and having a passageway The discharge block is horizontally disposed to have its passageway extended at right angles to the passageway 22 of the entrance block 2!. The discharge block 34 is extended through a cutout 36 formed in the side wall of the housing 12 and is re ained in position therein by means of an angle iron t? which has its arms secured to the discharge block 34 and the side wall of the housing 52 by screws 38.

A tube 39 is extended between the bottom of the tubular entrance block 2! and the inner end of the tubular discharge block 3ifor carrying the material. from the blccl: Z! to the block 34. The tube is flexible in nature and has a connector block "it at its top end by which it is secured to the bottom end of the tubular entrance block 2! and a connector block ii at its bottom end by which it is secured to the inner end of the discharge blocir 3d. The connector block 29 is of two part construction to have sections til and it connected together by means of removable bolts ali. The upper section it has a passageway 33 concentric with the passageway 22 of the entrance block 25. it its top end 313 the passageway 53 is enlarged to receive the depending bottom portion of the connector tube The top end of the tube 38 is extended through the bottom section iii and has an outwardly directed flange 44 clamped in position between the ad jacent faces of the sections te and id". i'he connector block so is joined to the tubular entrance block 2! by a releasable luggage-type fast ner 45, see Fig. 2, which has onc--half secured to the side of the entrance block and the other half secured to the side of the connector block.

The connector bloci: il is also of two part construction to have sections Lil and M releasably joined together by screws 46, see Fig. 5. The bottom end of the tube 39 is extended through the section il and has an outwardly directed flange M. A connector tube at is extended through the. section ii and is formed at its inner end with an outwardly extended flange dB. The fianges il and 49 are clamped in position between the adjacent faces of the sections ti and il of the connector block ii. The connector block 3! is secured to the inner end of the tubular discharge bloclr 3 3 by a releasable luggage-type fastener Ell, see Fig. 2, which has one-hair secured to the discharge block. 3 3 and the other half secured to the connector block 3 l.

The connector tube it extends from the section M of the connector block and when that block is secured to the discharge block 36, that projecting end or" the tube it is received within an enlarged portion 35 formed at the inner end of the passageway 35 of the discharge block.

The passageway 35 of the discharge block 3 3 has its outer end. continued into an enlarged portion 35 into which one end of a connector tube 5! is fitted. That connector tube ii is retained in position in the enlarged portion 35 of the which a branch pipe H extends.

passageway 35 by several pins 52 extended in from opposite sidesof the discharge block 34. As in the case of the tubes 29 and. 32, the tubes 48 and 5| have an internal diameter correspond-' ing to the diameter of the passageway 35 so that the material will have an unobstructed path through the passageway. I

Extending from the outer end of the discharge block 34, there is a flexible discharge tube 53 for conveying the material from the discharge block. The one end of the discharge tube 53 is joined to the outer end of the discharge block 33 by means of a connector block 54 and the free end of the tube 53 is to be manually held for guiding the piling of the discharging material as may be required.

, The connector block 54 is comprised of sections 54 and 54 which are releasably joined together by removable screws 55-, see Fig. 5. The section 5 t has a passageway 56 which continues at it inner end into an enlarged portion 55 for receiving the projecting end of the connector tube 5!. The adjacent end of the flexible tube 53 is extended through the section 54 and has an outwardly extended flange 51 which is clamped in position between the adjacent faces of the sections 54 and 54 The connector block 54 is joined. to the outer end of the discharge block 34 by a. releasable luggage-type fastener 58, see Fig. 2, which has one-half secured to the discharge block 34 and its other half secured to the connector block 54.

Means connected to a source of air under pressure is provided for supplying compressed air to blow the material which is placed within the hopper 23 from the entrance block 2| through the tube 39 and then through the discharge block 34 to discharge from the flexible discharge tube 53. That means includes a pipe 59 which has one end extended through a hole 60 in the side wall of the housing l2. Connected to the inner end of the pipe 59, by means of a union Bl, there is an L-shaped air discharge nozzle 52. The nozzle 62 is extended through an enlarged opening 63 formed in the side of the entrance block 2| to have its inner portion extended eccentrically parallel to the axis of the passageway 22. The nozzle 62 is of an external diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of the passageway 22 so that the material can pass about that nozzle.

Connected to the outer end of the pipe 59 is 1 one end of a rubber hose 6 which in turn to be connected to the source of air under pressure, not shown, which is preferably carried on the delivery truck. Externally of the entrance block 2|, the nozzle 62 carries a flange 65 which is secured to the block 2| for closing the outer end of the opening 53. The flange 55 is retained in position by several pins 66. Attachment of the nozzle 62 to the entrance block acts in conjunction with an angle iron 51 to fixedly secure the entrance block 2| in position in the housing l2. The angle iron 61 is secured to the back wall of the housing l2 and the adjacent side of the entrance block 2! by means of screws 58.

Connected into the pipe 59, by means of a union 69, between the hose 64 and the side of the housing 12, there is a. T-shaped fitment 13 from Connected in the branch pipe H, there is a hand controllable valve 12, see Fig. 2. The branch pipe H enters the side of the housing [2 through a hole 13 in 6 the adjacent side wall. Within the housing l2, there is connected to the inner end of the branch pipe 1 i, an elbow 14 and a terminal nipple by means of a union 16.

The tubular discharge block has an aperture T1 in one side thereof, see particularly Fig. 5, through which an auxiliary nozzle 13 is extended into the passageway 35 of the block 34. The auxiliary nozzle 58 is of an external diameter smaller than the diameter of the passageway 35 so that the material can by-pass theouter surfaces of the nozzle and that nozzle has its discharge end facing in the direction in which the material moves through the passageway 35, as indicated by the arrows B on Fig. 5. Externally of the discharge block 34, the auxiliary nozzle '18 is formed with an enlarged flange 19 secured to the outer face of the block 34 by several pins 80.

An elbow 8| is threaded onto the outer end of the auxiliary nozzle 18 and a nipple 32 is threaded into the elbow 8|. A length of rubber tubing 83, see Figs. 2 and 5, has its ends fitted over the nipples l5 and 82 for conveying the air under pressure from the branch pipe H to the nozzle 13 to discharge therefrom into the tubular discharge block 34 to assist the material in its movement through the passageway 35 of that block.

In operation, the valve 72 is normally left closed so that all of the air under pressure will ischarge from the nozzle 62 into the passageway 22 of the tubular inlet block 2!. The air under pressure discharging from the nozzle 62 will create a partial vacuum at the entrance to the passageway 22 and suck the material down through the hopper 23 into the passageway 22 and blow it through the tube 33, the passageway 35 of the tubular discharge block 313 and then I from the outer end of the flexible discharge tube 53. However, if it is found that the material is not moving fast enough through the discharge tube 53, the valve 12 can be opened to cause the air under pressure to discharge from the auxiliary nozzle 78 within the discharge block 35 and function as a booster to speed the movement of the material through the flexible discharge tube 53.

The operational use of the pneumatic conveyor is best illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein one means is illustrated for using the conveyor to move finely divided coal from a delivery truck 95 into a .coal bin in the cellar of a building as. The truck 93 is backed up to the curb of the sidewalk Q3 and its body 94 raised so that the finely divided coal, of the pea or buckwheat sizes, can discharge by gravity from the chute 35 at the rear end of the body. The pneumatic conveyor is positioned on the sidewalk 93 with its housing $2 in a vertical position and with its hopper 23 located below the chute 95 to receive the coal as it drops from the end of the chute. The position of the hopper 23 with relation to the chute 95 is illustrated by the dot and dash lines 35 in Fig. 2. The hose 64 is connected to the source of air under pressure on the truck and the end of the flexible discharge tube 53 is projected into the open cellar window 96. I As the coal drops from the chute 35 into the hopper 23 it will be forced to discharge from the end of the discharge tube 53 and the person holding the end of that tube can guide the discharging coal to be evenly distributed within the coal bin 9! instead of permitting it to freely pile up beneath the window 93. If, the coal is discharging too slowly from the end of the discharge tube 53 the valve 72 can be opened to discharge additional air from the auxiliary nozzle l8 and speed the discharge of the coal from the discharge tube 53.

When all the coal has been delivered, the conveyor can be collapsed by releasing the brace H and pivoting the housing 52 to rest down on the platform l so that the conveyor can be conveniently carried, while occupying very little space, upon the truck 98. While the conveyor is illustrated in position directly beneath the chute 85 of the truck, it is appreciated that the conveyor can be positioned more closely to the cellar window with the usual extension chutes being used to convey the coal from the chute es into the hopper 23 of the conveyor. The usual hingedly mounted gate on the body 95 at the discharge opening into the chute 95 is used to control the flow of the coal from the body t l at such a rate that it will feed down in the hopper 23 without spilling over the side thereof.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to the pre cise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A pneumatic conveyor for material in a flnely divided form, comprising a platform, a housing pivotally mounted on said platform to be extendable upright from said platform, a tubular entrance block mounted within said housing and having a hopper for receiving the material, said entrance block and hopper being in vertical alignment, a tubular discharge block mounted within said housing remote from said entrance block, a tube connecting said entrance block to said discharge block, a flexible discharge tube leading from said discharge block to be manually held at its free end for guiding the discharge of the material therefrom, and means extending downwardly within the upper end of said entrance block and connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying compressed air to blow the material from said entrance block through said first tube and said discharge block to discharge from the end. of said discharge tube.

2. A pneumatic conveyor for material in a finely divided form, comprising a platform, a housing pivotally mounted on said platform to be extendable upright from said platform, a tubular entrance block mounted within said housing and having a hopper for receiving the material, said entrance block and hopper being in vertical alignment, a tubular discharge block mounted within said housing remote from said entrance block, a tube connecting said entrance block to said discharge block, a flexible discharge tube leading from said discharge block to be manually held at its free end for guiding the discharge of the material therefrom, and means extending downwardly within the upper end of said entrance block and connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying compressed air to blow the material from said entrance block through said first tube and said discharge block to discharge from the end of said discharge tube, said hopper being separate from said tubular entrance block and a connected block on said hopper by which it is releasably connected to the entrance block to discharge into a passageway of the block.

3. A pneumatic conveyor for material in a fine- 1y divided form, comprising a platform, a housing pivotally mounted on said platform to be extendable upright from said platform, a tubular entrance block mounted within said housing and having a hopper for receiving the material, said entrance block and hopper being in vertical alignment, a tubular discharge block mounted within said housing remote from said entrance block, a tube connecting said entrance block to said discharge block, a flexible discharge tube leading from said discharge block to be manually held at its free end for guiding the discharge of the material therefrom, and means extending downwardly within the upper end of said entrance block and connected to a source of under pressure for supplying compressed air to blow the material from said entrance block through said first tube and said discharge block to discharge from the end of said discharge tube, said first tube having connector blocks at its ends by which it is connected to said entrance block and said discharge block.

4. A pneumatic conveyor for material in a finely divided form, comprising a platform, a housing pivotally mounted on said platform to be extendable upright from said platform, a tubular entrance block mounted within said. hous ing and having a hopper for receiving the material, said entrance block and hopper being in vertical alignment, a tubular discharge block mounted within said housing remote from said entrance block, a tube connecting said entrance block to said discharge block, a flexible discharge tube leading from said discharge block to be manually held at its free end for guiding the discharge of the material therefrom, and means extending downwardly within the upper end of said entrance block and connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying compressed air to blow the material from said entrance block through said first tube and said discharge block to discharge from the end of said discharge tube, said supply means comprising a nozzle entered into said entrance block through an opening in the side thereof, a pipe connected to said nozzle and projected from the side of said housing, and a hose connected to the outer end of said pipe and connected at its other end to said source of air under pressure, an auxiliary nozzle entered into said discharge block through an opening in the side thereof, and a branch pipe connected at one end to said first pipe between said hose and said housing, said branch pipe having its other end extended into in spaced parallel relation thereto said housing and connected to the outer end of said auxiiiary nozzle.

5. A pneumatic conveyor for material in. a finely divided form, comprisin a platform, a housing pivotally mounted on said platform to be extendable upright from said platform, a tu bular entrance block mounted within said he sing and having a hopper for receiving the material, said entrance block and hopper being in vertical alignment, a tubular discharge block mounted within said housing remote from said entrance block, a tube connecting said entrance block to said discharge block, a flexible discharge tube leading from said discharge block to be manually held at its free end for guiding the discharge of the material therefrom, and means extending downwardly within the upper end or" said entrance block and connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying compressed air to blow the material from said entrance block through said first tube and said discharge block to discharge from the end of said discharge tube, said supply means comprising a nozzle entered into said entrance block through an opening in the side thereof, a pipe connected to said nozzle and projected from the side of said housing, and a hose connected to the outer end of said pipe and connected at its other end to said source of air under pressure, an auxiliary nozzle entered into said discharge block through an opening in the side thereof, and a branch pipe connected at one end to said first pipe between said hose and said housing, said branch pipe having its other end extended into in spaced parallel relation thereto said housing and connected to the outer end of said auxiliary nozzle, and external flanges on said nozzles secured to the outer faces 10 of said blocks closing the openings in said blocks through which said nozzles pass.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 749,206 Limbert Jan. 12, 1904 758,118 Sticker 1-; Apr. 26, 1904 1,173,073 Williams Feb. 22, 1916 1,189,328 Williams July 4, 1916 1,697,584 Aikins Jan. 1, 1929 2,419,410 Maurer Apr. 22, 1947 2,532,064 Huddle Nov. 28, 1950 2,588,711 Everett Mar. 11, 1952 2,591,411 Delsman Apr. 1, 1952 

